1. Technical Field
The present invention generally pertains to motor vehicles. More particular, the present invention pertains to a wheel well liner for a motor vehicle. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to a wheel liner including a living hinge and a related method of manufacturing the wheel liner.
2. Discussion
Many modern vehicles incorporate a liner on an inner side of the wheel wells. Such wheel well liners function to prevent moisture and debris from entering the vehicle. Most commonly, conventional wheel well liners are injection molded of a thermoplastic material.
Known wheel well liners have proven to adequately prevent moisture and debris from entering an associated motor vehicle. However, wheel well liners are associated with significant manufacturing and assembly drawbacks. Such manufacturing drawbacks will be discussed with reference to the prior art view of FIG. 3A which illustrates a simplified side view of a conventional wheel well liner A shown relative to a mold chord axis X and mold pull axis Y. The pull axis Y represents the direction of relative travel between die halves when the conventional wheel well liner A is removed from a mold. The chord axis X is oriented perpendicular to the pull axis Y. Typically, the chord axis X intersects portions of the mold which form distal ends of the wheel well liner A so as to reduce a maximum chord length Z extending between the chord axis X and the outer surface of the wheel well liner and oriented perpendicular to the chord axis X.
A thermoplastic material is introduced into the cavity defined by the die halves at one or more positions. The height of the conventional mold for the wheel well liner requires a significant amount of metal which greatly increase tool cost. Furthermore, flow problems have been encountered in the formation of the distal ends of the conventional wheel well due to significant heat loss in the distal ends. As a result additional material is included in the wheel well liner which could otherwise be eliminated and therefore provide a reduction in material cost and part weight.
Another significant drawback associated with the manufacture of conventional wheel well liners relates to the incorporation of mounting apertures into the wheel well liners. As is known by those skilled in the art, it is desirable that all areas of the wheel well liner be open to draw upon completion of the injection molding. It is known to core mounting apertures in an injection molded product, such as a wheel well liner, with either fixed pins or mechanical slides.
The fixed pins are relatively inexpensive to incorporate but are required to be oriented parallel with the pull axis. As a result, fixed pins are typically not suitable for coring apertures through a thin walled part, such as a wheel well liner at a minimum effective angle of less than approximately 30.degree.. Preferably, the effective angle between the fixed pin and the thin walled surface to be cored with the pin is approximately 45.degree. or greater. Where cored apertures cannot be manufactured with fixed pins, it is known to incorporate mechanical slides. Mechanical slides increase manufacturing complexity and expenses significantly.
With respect to assembly drawbacks, the conventional wheel well liners are often difficult to insert within a vehicle wheel well.
Accordingly, a need remains in the art for a wheel well liner and a method for manufacturing a wheel well liner which overcome the disadvantages associated with the prior art.